Secrets
by angelsinstead
Summary: Starr shocks the world when she shows up at her father's funeral. For the last 5 years, everyone believed she had died. To escape her father's cruel manipulations; she let everyone believe she was gone forever. Burdened with a broken heart and the tragic loss of her baby, she felt there was nothing left for her. Her return uncovers an avalanche of secrets and lies.
1. Chapter 1

_Author's Note- This drabble series was started as an early birthday gift for my friend Ana. Happy Early Birthday, Ana. I don't own any of the characters from GH or OLTL and I am not being paid anything for writing this story. It is for entertainment purposes only! In this particular fic, Starr (Kiki) is being played by Kristen Alderson and Scott Clifton will be playing the roles of both Dillon Quartermaine and Schuyler Joplin. Some of the "history" of both shows will be same, but there will be differences as this is AU._

 **Chapter One  
**

Starr Manning arrived at her father's funeral wearing a long black dress. She hadn't changed much in the past five years except that her hair was a little bit darker and she had aged just a small fraction. As she entered the church, there were shadows behind her eyes. She didn't know how her family would react to her presence. After all, they thought she had died five years prior in a horrific car accident.

As she opened the double wooden doors and stepped into the church, everyone stared at her in shock. Her mother cried out, "Starr! My baby girl! **My daughter is alive**!"

Blair ran up and encased her daughter in a bear hug as tears of joy ran down her cheeks. "Mom... Mom..." Starr said as she hugged her mother just as tightly. She hadn't wanted to leave and let everyone think she was dead... but she had no other choice. Her father had been completely out of control... and her baby girl had just died - her precious baby girl; her little Hope. How she had wanted her daughter... but Hope had died after her birth. It was the single most tragic event of Starr's life; losing her sweet, little angel.

"Starr, you're alive. How can this be?" asked Jack, Starr's little brother.

"I wanted everyone to think I was dead... so I could escape... _him_..." said Starr as her eyes moved toward the casket near the altar of the church. Starr cringed, seeing just a glimpse of what was inside - her father's body.

"Starr, you don't know. You can't possibly know..." Blair was saying as Starr pulled away from her mom and began walking down the aisle, a room full of friends and loved ones staring as though they had just seen a ghost. Her youngest brother Sammy looked frightened as he clung tightly to Jack's hand.

Starr suddenly stopped in her tracks, feeling faint. The man in the coffin... IT WASN'T HIM!

"What in the hell is going on here?" Starr demanded.

She looked at her mother, demanding answers. "Starr, the man who we thought was your father wasn't him. He was... he was your father's twin brother Victor... and your father was held captive by his evil mother, who sent Victor to take your dad's place," Blair explained. "The man you ran away from five years ago; he wasn't your dad. Your dad is here... and I am sorry, sweetie; he's gone."

Starr stared down at the face of the dad she had remembered from her childhood. Lightly she traced his cheek, feeling great sorrow. The other man who pretended to be her father was actually her dad's twin? It made no sense, but yet it did.

The man who masqueraded as Todd Manning had been so different from the dad that Starr had remembered. He had beaten Cole to a pulp when he discovered he and Starr had made love... and just a few months later, when she found out she was pregnant, that man had lost his mind, manhandling Starr and insisting she give her unborn child up for adoption. Then as she got closer to her due date, he tried to manipulate her into giving her child up - just so HE could take her baby girl and raise the child with Marty Saybrooke, Cole's mom who had amnesia. He had been keeping Cole's mom in his home, feeding her with promises of forever without telling her the truth about their tainted past... at least the past she had with the REAL Todd Manning, not the imposter.

Later, after the baby's birth, she discovered he had a plot with her ob/gyn, Doctor Joplin, so he could steal Starr's newborn from the hospital's nursery. But that never happened. Sadly, Starr's baby girl died when she was just a couple of hours old. Starr only got to hold her little Hope once for just a brief moment... then her little darling was gone. After losing Hope, Starr crumbled. There was nothing left for her. She just wanted to die.

Cole was so distraught, he started taking drugs again. She and Cole were involved in a horrific car accident when Cole was behind the wheel, high on drugs. Starr made sure that it appeared that she didn't come out of the wreck alive. It was an elaborate plot, just so she could rebuild her life, somewhere else, with all of the pain of her tortured past behind her.

"Starr, where have you been?" her mother asked.

"Port Charles, New York," Starr replied. "I have been living there for the past five years, under the alias of Kiki Jerome. Ava Jerome's daughter had died, so she hired me to take Kiki's place, so she (we) could inherit the money Kiki's father had left her. I needed that money to start my new life."

Starr looked down once again at her beloved father who was lying so still inside the casket. "What happened to Dad... my REAL dad? How did he die? And why didn't I read about what his twin did in the papers?"

"Starr, it's a long story... what happened to your father. I can't really go into it right now. Not here," Blair answered as she didn't want to newly upset her sons. "Your father and your Aunt Vicki own all the papers in Llanview. We tried to keep the scandal out of the newspapers. We did it for Jack and Sammy... and for Hope."

Starr looked at her mother, her eyes wide in vivid disbelief. "Hope?" she asked in a little gasp.

"Yes, your daughter - Hope. Starr, your baby girl did not die."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

"What did you just say?" Starr demanded.

"Starr, your daughter Hope is alive and well. Your uncle, your father's twin, took the baby from the hospital's nursery, replacing her with the corpse of another newborn that had died," Blair said to Starr's horrified disbelief.

"Why?! **Why** would he do that?!"

"Because he wanted to raise her with Marty Saybrooke. After your 'death,' the truth came out. Victor came clean. He confessed to all of his crimes, including the location of where your father was being held captive by their evil, demented mother," Blair replied.

"Where is she?" Starr asked frantically. " _Where IS my daughter_?"

Blair's gaze moved to a small child sitting in a pew at the front of the church, only a few feet from Starr - a little girl with long blonde hair and gorgeous blue eyes. *My little girl,* Starr was thinking as her heart thumped hard with so much excitement! Her dearest Hope was alive!

But then Starr's eyes caught on the man who had a protective arm wrapped around the child, Schuyler Joplin - the man who had broke Starr's heart. Schuyler had rejected her and pushed her away. He had said there was never a chance for them, even though Starr had been madly in love with her former high school teacher. Because of Schuy, Starr had did everything in her power to make her unhappy relationship with Cole work.

Starr did a double-take as she stared at Schuyler. He looked exactly like...

She swallowed hard. "Mom, why is Schuyler with Hope?"

"Honey, Schuyler felt sad and responsible after all that happened... after we thought you had died. His mom, Doctor Joplin had been involved in the plot to kidnap Hope and hand her over to Victor. Schuyler asked me if he could adopt Hope."

" **WHAT**?!" Starr gasped.

"He's been a wonderful father to your little girl in Cole's absence. He's cared for her, loved her... And he has always let me, your father and Marty be a part of Hope's life. He's amazing and he loves that little girl with ALL of his heart."

Starr was looking at Hope and Schuyler. It was obvious that there was a deep and loving bond between them. Schuyler, the man she had loved had been raising her precious daughter.

"Starr ~ honey, we need to sit down. Reverend Carpenter is about to start the services for your father's funeral," Blair said gently as she lead her daughter to a nearby pew to be seated. Starr was so close, but yet so far from her little Hope... and Schuyler. After all this time, she was shocked how she still had feelings for Schuyler Joplin, despite all his rejections. She had run from him, too... and the pain he had caused her. And here he was, raising HER little girl!

Starr could barely concentrate during her dad's funeral service. Tears rolled down her cheeks as her mother tried to console her, but she had no idea that she was even crying. Her emotions were all over the place. Exactly what had she came back to?!

After the funeral, everyone came to hug her. She embraced her brothers, her Aunt Dorian and her Aunt Vicki. Everyone was so glad that she was back... and healthy and alive! Then as the church began to clear, Schuyler came forward, his arm around little Hope.

"Starr," he said as he stared into her eyes. "Where have you been? And why did you fake your death?"

"It's a long story," she said with a heavy sigh as she settled her gaze on her little girl. "It would seem that you have something- someone that belongs to me."

"We need to talk," Schuyler said. He turned to Blair, asking if she could watch Hope for a short while.

"I would be glad to," Blair agreed.

"Come on, sweetie," Blair said to her granddaughter as they left the church with Dorian, Jack, and Sam.

Starr watched longingly as her mother left with Hope. "Schuyler, why did you adopt my daughter?"

"Her father was in prison... and she had no one. I thought that you were dead. After the role my mother played in Hope's kidnapping, I wanted to give that little girl a home; a stable environment. I felt bad... I felt guilty."

"Because of your mother? Or because of me?" she asked. "Do you ever regret what you did to me?"

Schuy hung his head. Starr had hit the nail on the head. "I have regretted what happened every single day of my life since the day I thought you had died. The very least I could have done is provide a loving home and a stable father for your little girl. I love her, Starr... and I am never, _ever_ giving her up."

"She's MY daughter," Starr challenged. "She was taken from me. Stolen. I thought she died."

"I thought you died, too," he said. "So that's why Hope came to live with me. I have been raising her since infancy. I am her father."

"And I am her mother. And I want my daughter with me."

Schuyler shook his head. "Sorry, Hope is staying with me. We have a life together. I couldn't possibly give her up."

"Then you have a fight on your hands, Schuyler Joplin... because I am back now, and I want my little girl," Starr said firmly


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Starr was out of breath from arguing with Schuyler. She left the church in a hurry, eager to get to her mother's house and see her dear little Hope. When she arrived, Blair once again hugged her daughter. "Ohhh honey, I am so glad you are back... You are safe," Blair said with tears shining in her eyes. "When we thought you had died..."

"I am so sorry I did that to you, Mom... and to everyone I loved. I just had to get away from _him_... that man I thought was my father... and after I thought Hope had died, I didn't think there was anything left for me here in Llanview."

"But Starr, we are your family. Jack, Sam, me, and your Aunt Dorian."

"Mom, I want to go back to Port Charles and I intend to take Hope back with me."

"Starr, you know you can't do that. Schuyler has been raising her. Legally he's her father. And she doesn't even know you... yet," Blair said gently.

"She's my daughter and she belongs with me," Starr insisted.

In that moment, Schuyler arrived at the door. He heard what Starr had just said to Blair. "I don't want to fight over Hope," he said to Starr. "I am sorry you felt the need to fake your own death and start a new life somewhere else, but I stepped up when her father went to prison and we thought that you were dead. She's **my** daughter... in every way that matters. It would break her heart if you tore us apart."

"Starr, please don't take Hope from the only parent she's ever known," Blair pleaded with her daughter. "You need to think this through. You need to do what is best for Hope. She's only five. She won't understand..."

"I can't believe you're on his side, Mom!"

"I am on Hope's side... and yours, too. I just want what is best for both of you."

"What is best is that I get my little girl back."

Hope had been playing in the toy room with Sam. When she heard Schuyler's voice, she came running, her long blond hair trailing behind her. Her blue eyes twinkled as she ran to Schuy, throwing herself into his embrace. "Daddy!" she exclaimed joyously.

She looked up at him with those gorgeous blue eyes as Schuy smiled down at her. "Ready to go home, sweet pea?" he asked.

"Yes," she said as the huge grin remained upon her little face.

Starr could only watch longingly. Why did Schuyler Joplin have a bond with her little girl? Why couldn't she hug Hope and be her mommy?

Feeling emotional, Starr wiped a tear from her eye. "Starr, I think this is going to take time," Blair said softly in an attempt to comfort her daughter. "We have to prepare Hope for the truth... and a great deal of changes."

Starr wanted to argue, but she couldn't. She just couldn't tear her child from Schuyler's arms- the only dad she'd ever known. She didn't want to scare or traumatize her sweet little girl. She had to think of what was best for Hope.

"I will be contacting you, Schuyler," Starr said as he took her daughter's hand and prepared to walk out the door.

He nodded but didn't speak. After he had left with Hope, Starr broke down. She cried because her father was dead. Her REAL father. And she weeped because Hope was alive, but she couldn't be her mother.

Blair took her daughter in her arms as she sobbed mournfully. "Starr, I'm sorry... but I promise, in time, everything will be alright."

"No, it won't," said Starr. "I belong back in Port Charles. I have a life there."

"But you have a family here... and you have a daughter."

"Schuyler Joplin is an obstacle. He is standing in the way of every one of my dreams," Starr said sadly.

Blair knew that Starr had loved Schuyler deeply, but he had hurt her so much with his rejection. Starr had never forgiven him for pushing her aside. "He broke my heart and he won't take my daughter, too," Starr quietly vowed.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

Dillon Quartermaine arrived in Llanview, Pennsylvania. He had followed his girlfriend Kiki Jerome from Port Charles, New York. Something had made Kiki leave rather abruptly. She had been greatly upset. He was worried about her and her strange behavior just before she got on that plane that took her from him.

Kiki had been acting as though she were keeping secrets from him. They had been blissfully happy and deeply in love, but then suddenly, she said she had to go out of town but wouldn't tell him where she was going.

 _"Kiki, what's going on?" Dillon asked._

 _"Something happened... and I have to go."_

 _"Go where?"_

 _"I can't tell you, Dillon. I'm sorry. Just trust me."_

 _"We don't keep secrets from each other."_

 _She could barely look him in the eye, because everything about her life had been one big secret. She had been living under a different identity. The real Kiki Jerome was dead and she was Starr Manning! She had to get back to Llanview and see her family, now that her manipulative father was dead. She wanted to see her mom and her brothers. She just had to go back, even if she knew she was risking everything! Despite all that, she didn't want to lose Dillon._

 _She stared into his eyes, her heart aching as she didn't want to leave him, not even for a day. She never thought she'd find love again... or happiness, but with him, she had discovered joy and beauty beyond her wildest dreams._

 _But sadly, she had never told him the truth. The man she loved thought she was Kiki Jerome. How could she ever tell him the truth?_

 _"Dillon, I don't want to lose you."_

 _"I love you, Kiki," he said as he tenderly kissed her. "You'll never lose me. I am yours forever."  
_  
Despite that conversation, he found her gone the next morning. She had packed her bags and she had left him. Using his Quartermaine connections, he found out what plane she had taken. Kiki was going to Llanview and he was going after her.

He had no clue where to look for her once he arrived in Llanview. He had a picture of Kiki and he began showing it to everyone he met. "I am looking for my girlfriend, Kiki Jerome," he said as he showed the photograph to a few residents of Llanview.

Unknowingly, he had shown the photo to Starr's cousin, Jessica. When she saw the picture, she stopped in her tracks. "That's my cousin, Starr."

"Starr?" Dillon said in surprise. "You must be mistaken."

"Who are you?" she said as she thought he looked a great deal like Schuyler Joplin. They could have been identical twins!

"My name is Dillon Quartermaine."

Although he looked like Schuy, he had a different hairstyle. There was a distinct difference between the two men and Jessica believed that he was who he claimed to be and he was honestly looking for his missing girlfriend.

For the past five years, everyone had thought that Starr was dead, but today at Jessica's uncle's funeral, the real truth had came out. Starr was alive! Where she had been the past five years - God only knew!

"I think the woman in the photograph is my cousin. And I can tell you how to find her," Jessica said.

Dillon was relieved when Jessica said she could help him find Kiki, whom she kept insisting was her cousin Starr. Who exactly was this Starr?! And why was Jessica staring at him strangely as if she knew him?

It was all so odd and he needed answers. He decided he would go to the address that Jessica had gave him. It was a mansion called La Boulie. There, he hoped to find what it was he sought...

"I'm coming for you, Kiki," Dillon said as he stepped into his rental car.


End file.
